Some implementations involve obtaining a plurality of echo references, the plurality of echo references including at least one echo reference for each audio device of a plurality of audio devices in an audio environment, each echo reference corresponding to audio data being played back by one or more loudspeakers of one audio device of the plurality of audio devices. Some examples involve making an importance estimation for each echo reference of the plurality of echo references. Making the importance estimation may involve determining an expected contribution of each echo reference to mitigation of echo by at least one echo management system of at least one audio device of the audio environment. Some implementations involve selecting, based at least in part on the importance estimation, one or more selected echo references and providing the one or more selected echo references to the at least one echo management system.